Hotel chantelle , 813.

2:36am

"Max's MOTHER?" Grognard asked, stunned by the news.

"Shhh...Not so loud, you might wake Max up." Kelly hushed Grognard to be quiet, hoping that Max did not hear them.� Looking into the next room where Max was fast asleep on Lupin's bed, she breathed an uneasy sigh of relief and quietly shut the door.

"I thought that Max was an orphan?"

"That's what I thought too...� Max and I ... we just ..well ..we just never discussed about it. Oh Grognard if you saw that look on his face...." Kelly sat down uncomfortably on the bed .� "Poor thing just lost his paren... his father.."

"So this lady...what did you say to her?"

"I� don't really remember what I said.... but she wants to meet him!� What am I supposed to tell Max? HOW am I supposed to tell Max?"

" I think that you should just tell Max that what you told Grognard...." the voice came from the balcony.� Lupin had entered the room as always, not via the door.

"How goes tonight?" Grognard asked, remembering that Lupin had gone off� to check things out by himself.

"They've just brought the Blake Diamond in today..." Lupin answered as he unclasped the buttons on his cape, then turned to Kelly. " As I was saying, I'm sure Max will be pleased with the news... "

"�I guess..." Kelly muttered.�

"Is anything� the matter..."

"Nothing's the matter.." Kelly got slightly protective. " I mean .. I'm happy for Max and all...I really am! "

"But...?"� Lupin knew that she had more to say.

"Well...what if Max doesn't want to see his mother? He never mentioned about her, not even once! And after all this time when she could have... why must it be now? "

Lupin sensed a tinge of distress in Kelly's tone of voice. He walked up to Kelly and held her hand reassuringly.

"Kelly...would you prefer it if I told ..."

"No.." Kelly took a deep breath. "I think I need to do this ... " She gripped Lupin's hand back.� She was always glad that she had somebody for emotional support and managed a weak smile.� Maybe she was just acting silly about the whole thing, Kelly told herself.� There really is nothing to worry about.

"So what of the lady?" Grognard spoke again.

" It didn't feel right taking her here... I've agreed to meet her at the cafe down the street tomorrow at eight..."

Lupin looked up and thought for a moment.

"Hmm...then perhaps she ought to get aquatinted with the rest of the family as well..."

@-'---

08:45am

It was a cool breezy morning.� The cafe was still relatively empty but the aroma of coffee filled the air.

Max was surprisingly quiet as he sat down and fidgeted with his hair. Kelly was acting rather strange today. This morning when he woke up he found himself back in the apartment, and figured that Grognard must have brought him and Kelly back yesterday night. Kelly was all dressed� when she woke him and asked him to get ready, as if she was in a hurry to meet someone.

Why the sudden decision to go to the cafe ? And *yawn* so early in the morning?

Max pondered for a moment. He never did� like always being the last one to know about things, and to be treated like a kid. After all, he IS twelve years old, and have been around the streets more often than any other kid his age. He was slightly irked being dragged out of bed so early in the morning, but his curiosity all than more made up for it.

Kelly�was pretty quiet herself. As she sipped on her morning cup of � long overdue coffee, her eyes kept a close look out for any sign of the mysterious woman. It's already 8:50, she is late. Kelly looked at her watch and wondered if the woman was even going to turn up. She hadn't broken the news to Max yet. Part of her secretly wished that she never would have to, but Lupin did make a good point.. Max had the right to know.

An elderly man was sitting just two tables away from them. He was enjoying the fresh morning air as he took his time savoring the freshly brewed tea that was just served to him while reading the morning paper. He looked at Kelly momentarily and smiled, politely gesturing his hat, which Kelly promptly nodded back in return.

"So.... what are we doing here anyway?" Max finally got impatient sitting and he turned to Kelly. "Kelly?"

Silence.

"Oh come on Kelly. Is it a hot story we're after huh huh?"

Kelly finally spoke."Well...you could say that..." She hesitated for a while, then continued. "Tell me Max, how come you never mentioned anything about your family?"

"My family?" Max was stunned by her sudden query but casually remarked. "Well� there's you and Lupin and Grognard..."

"I mean before that..."

"What's there to know?..." Max fell silent. Kelly caught a glimpse of that same sad expression in his eyes that she never could fully understand, nor bear to see him with.� She knew there was a reason she never brought up the subject about his family, � But like the last time, Max was quick to assure her� that he was fine.

"You never brought it up before. Why the sudden interest?"

"Well.." Kelly tried to search for an answer, when she suddenly spotted a figure walking towards them. Kelly turned and looked at the elderly man. He nodded re-assuredly. Kelly held her breath and muttered to herself, "Looks like we're about to find out Max."

The lady walked up to them.� "I'm sorry I'm late.." she apologized. Kelly looked at her and realized that she didn't really have a good look till now. Under the sunlight, she seemed less threatening. Kelly hate to admit it, but she does resemble Max somewhat.

"Erm ..Madam.."

" Please.. call me Iris." She directed her attention towards Max. " Oh gosh...you've grown so much..."

"Do I know you?"� Max asked and looked at Kelly.�

"Max..." Kelly began hesitantly.

"Please.. let me.." the lady sat down and looked at Max. She took a deep breath " Max...I know this is going to be hard for you to believe...but I'm....your mother."

"Excuse me?" Max thought he had heard her wrongly. "I think you must be mistaken.. "

"I know it's too sudden Max...but I've been looking all over for you all those years when you and Yves disappeared..."��

The mention of "Yves" suddenly changed Max expression, as if some secret of his has been found out. He became tensed and turned to Kelly.

"Kelly, is it okay if I talked to her?"

"But of course..." Then Kelly saw the subtle look on his face. She quickly continued.

" Um...I just remembered that I need to get something from the... the flower shop next door ... you okay with that?"

Max appreciated the gesture as he smiled at her. "Thanks Kelly."

Kelly nodded her head understandly and slowly walked over to the flower shop where she pretended to admire the flowers, but her eyes still � constantly kept a close watch on Max.

The elderly man watched Max for awhile, then folded his newspapers and got up. He dug into his pockets and left a small tip on the table, then strolled down towards the flower shop.

He stopped just outside the shop, tossing a coin to the shopkeeper to pay for a rose. He then approached� Kelly and handed her the flower. Kelly accepted the rose without looking, her mind still distracted as she continued to watch Max. �

"So did you get a good look at Iris? Did you hear what they were saying?"�

"Kelly, you know it's not nice to eavesdrop. I'm sure Max is fine by himself. Look,� he seems to have a lot to say to..."

"Ars�ne the reason I even let you to come along is so that you can help me find out more about that lady...so don't patronize me." She looked slightly irritated. "I still can't believe I let you talk me into this."

"You know it's the right thing to do Kelly..."Lupin was aware that it wasn't him that Kelly was mad at. She was just worried for Max.

"I know that...but..but..." �she sighed. " Well, perhaps Iris and I did get off on the wrong foot, but Max ...he has never acted this way before...." She glanced at Max again and fell silent.

I sure hope you know what you're doing Kelly....

@-'---